11:10 p.m. update on winter storm warnings

WINTER STORM WARNING

ENVIRONMENT CANADA

*********************** A WINTER STORM WARNING IS CONTINUED FOR

GOGAMA - FOLEYET ELLIOT LAKE - RANGER LAKE MANITOULIN ISLAND BLIND RIVER - THESSALON AND ESPANOLA - KILLARNEY.

SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.

THIS IS A WARNING THAT DANGEROUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS.

MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.

LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.

DISCUSSION

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR CHICAGO WILL INTENSIFY INTO A MAJOR WINTER STORM AS IT TRACKS ACROSS LAKE ERIE TO WESTERN LAKE ONTARIO BY SUNDAY EVENING.

THIS STORM CENTRE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN ONTARIO INTO SOUTHERN QUEBEC BY MONDAY MORNING.

AN EXPANDING AREA OF SNOW HAS REACHED SAULT STE MARIE AND WESTERN PARTS OF MANITOULIN ISLAND ALREADY AND WILL CONTINUE TO RAPIDLY SPREAD NORTHEAST INTO REMAINING REGIONS OVERNIGHT.

THE SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES SUNDAY AND CONTINUE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY.

A GENERAL SNOWFALL OF 20 TO 30 CM IS QUITE POSSIBLE BY MONDAY MORNING ACROSS MOST OF THE DISTRICT.

IN ADDITION, STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHEASTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND THESE WILL WHIP UP THE FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW RESULTING IN BLOWING SNOW IN EXPOSED AREAS.

TRAVELLING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE QUICKLY TONIGHT.

DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FROM LOW TO AT TIMES NIL VISIBILITY IN HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ARE QUITE POSSIBLE.

MOTORISTS SHOULD ADJUST TRAVEL PLANS ACCORDINGLY AND BE PREPARED FOR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS FROM HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW IN EXPOSED AREAS.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST PUBLIC FORECASTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

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